Review: Dance of Thieves by Mary E. Pearson

From the Back Cover:

A new novel in the New York Times–bestselling Remnant Chronicles universe, in which a reformed thief and the young leader of an outlaw dynasty lock wits in a battle that may cost them their lives—and their hearts.

When the patriarch of the Ballenger empire dies, his son, Jase, becomes its new leader. Even nearby kingdoms bow to the strength of this outlaw family, who have always governed by their own rules. But a new era looms on the horizon, set in motion by a young queen, which makes her the target of the dynasty's resentment and anger.

At the same time, Kazi, a legendary former street thief, is sent by the queen to investigate transgressions against the new settlements. When Kazi arrives in the forbidding land of the Ballengers, she learns that there is more to Jase than she thought. As unexpected events spiral out of their control, bringing them intimately together, they continue to play a cat and mouse game of false moves and motives in order to fulfill their own secret missions.

My Thoughts:

I loved the Remnant Chronicles, so when I saw that Mary Pearson was writing a spin-off series, I was all in. Now several YA series have been resurrected over the past two years that probably shouldn't have been (I'm looking at you Shatter Me and Mara Dyer), so I was apprehensive given how much I enjoyed the first trilogy. I'm happy to say this continuation works and works well, and a big part of that is that we are given new characters and obstacles to overcome within the same story world. I quickly grew to love both new lead characters--Kazi, a soldier/assassin for the Queen of Venda, and Jase, leader-to-be of an outlaw tribe that's been stirring up trouble. I also anxiously awaited each little nugget of news as to what was happening with Lia and Rafe and their friends back home.

The romance between Kazi and Jase does take center stage, but that is only natural given the way they are thrown together and forced to fight for survival. We get to meet new friends and new enemies. The plot is pretty much nonstop, written with Pearson's beautiful prose and her signature blend of  human observation, suspense, character development, and plot twists you don't see coming. There is an underlying thread of unrest and betrayal simmering, and I can't wait to read the next book to see how it all plays out.

My Rating:  4 Stars out of 5

**Please Note: This review references an advance copy received from the publisher through the Amazon Vine program. These are my honest and unbiased opinions, and I was not compensated in any other way for reviewing this book.

Blog Tour Excerpt: Wicked Saints by Emily A. Duncan

Wicked Saints

by Emily A. Duncan

On Sale: April 2, 2019

Publisher: Wednesday Books

Formats: ebook, hardcover; 375 pages

Genre: Young Adult Fantasy

“Prepare for a snow-frosted, blood-drenched fairy tale where the monsters steal your heart and love ends up being the nightmare.” ~Roshani Chokshi, New York Times bestselling author of The Star-Touched Queen

A girl who can speak to gods must save her people without destroying herself.

A prince in danger must decide who to trust.

A boy with a monstrous secret waits in the wings. 

Together, they must assassinate the king and stop the war.

In a centuries-long war where beauty and brutality meet, their three paths entwine in a shadowy world of spilled blood and mysterious saints, where a forbidden romance threatens to tip the scales between dark and light. Wicked Saints is the thrilling start to Emily A. Duncan’s devastatingly Gothic Something Dark and Holy trilogy.

“This book destroyed me and I adored it.”

~Stephanie Garber, New York Times bestselling author of Caraval

Macmillan  ~  Amazon  ~  Barnes & Noble  ~  iTunes  ~  Goodreads  

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Excerpt:

N A DE Z H D A
L A P T E V A

Horz stole the stars and the heavens out from underneath Myesta’s control, and for that she has never forgiven him. For where can the moons rest if not the heavens?
—Codex of the Divine, 5:26

“It’s certainly not my fault you chose a child who sleeps so deeply. If she dies it will very much be your fault, not mine.”

Startled by bickering gods was not Nadya’s preferred method of being woken up. She rolled to her feet in the dark, moving automatically. It took her eyes a few sec- onds to catch up with the rest of her body.

Shut up!

It wasn’t wise to tell the gods to shut up, but it was too late now. A feeling of amused disdain flowed through her, but neither of the gods spoke again. She realized it was Horz, the god of the heavens and the stars, who had woken her. He had a tendency to be obnoxious but generally left Nadya alone, as a rule.

Usually only a single god communed with their chosen cleric. There once had been a cleric named Kseniya Mirokhina who was gifted with unnatural marksmanship by Devonya, the goddess of the hunt. And Veceslav had chosen a cleric of his own, long ago, but their name was lost to history, and he refused to talk about them. The recorded histories never spoke of clerics who could hear more than one god. That Nadya communed with the entire pantheon was a rarity the priests who trained her could not explain.

There was a chance older, more primordial gods existed, ones that had long since given up watch of the world and left it in the care of the others. But no one knew for sure. Of the twenty known gods, however, carvings and paintings depicted their human forms, though no one knew what they actually looked like. No cleric throughout history had ever looked upon the faces of the gods. No saint, nor priest.

Each had their own power and magic they could bestow upon Nadya, and while some were forthcoming, others were not. She had never spoken to the goddess of the moons, Myesta. She wasn’t even sure what manner of power the goddess would give, if she so chose.

And though she could commune with many gods, it was impossible to forget just who had chosen her for this fate: Marzenya, the goddess of death and magic, who expected complete dedication.

Quick Review: The Wicked King by Holly Black

From the Back Cover:

You must be strong enough to strike and strike and strike again without tiring.

The first lesson is to make yourself strong.

After the jaw-dropping revelation that Oak is the heir to Faerie, Jude must keep her younger brother safe. To do so, she has bound the wicked king, Cardan, to her, and made herself the power behind the throne. Navigating the constantly shifting political alliances of Faerie would be difficult enough if Cardan were easy to control. But he does everything in his power to humiliate and undermine her even as his fascination with her remains undiminished.

When it becomes all too clear that someone close to Jude means to betray her, threatening her own life and the lives of everyone she loves, Jude must uncover the traitor and fight her own complicated feelings for Cardan to maintain control as a mortal in a Faerie world.

My Thoughts:

After the huge plot twist at the end of The Cruel Prince, I couldn't wait to get my hands on The Wicked King. Now that most of the ruling faerie family is dead, Jude's twin sister has betrayed her, and her stepfather is her adversary, Jude has no one to watch her back as she navigates court politics as Cardan's seneschal. And Cardan, the cruel prince who is now the wicked king, is quite a handful. One of the things I loved from the first book was the delicious nature of their relationship. They hate each other, but they are oh so drawn to each other. That tension sizzles in this book and serves as a sensual undercurrent as Jude tries to keep Cardan safe from enemies far and near. And Cardan does not make that easy, going out of his way to punish Jude for placing him in that position in the first place. Yet he is still fascinated by the human girl who managed to turn the faerie world upside down. Slowly they grow closer and begin to work together to protect faerie, but nothing is what it seems. Secrets are revealed, alliances are made and broken, and the story races nonstop to yet another jaw-dropping twist I didn't see coming, and now I can't wait to get my hands on The Queen of Nothing!

My Rating:  4 Stars out of 5

Spotlight: Updraft by Fran Wilde

Don’t miss UPDRAFT, a striking debut epic fantasy in which a young woman must expose a dangerous secret to save everyone she loves in a city of living bone rising high above the clouds, where danger hides in the wind and the ground is lost to legend…

A Tor Hardcover | ISBN 978-0-7653-7783-8 $25.99 | 368 pages
E-book ISBN 978-1-4668-5820-6 | $12.99
On Sale September 1, 2015  

Kirit Densira cannot wait to pass her wingtest and begin flying as a trader by her mother’s side in service to her beloved home tower and exploring the skies beyond, but when Kirit inadvertently breaks Tower Law, the city’s secretive governing body, the Singers, demand that she become one of them instead. In an attempt to save her family from greater censure, Kirit must give up her dreams to throw herself into the dangerous training at the Spire, the tallest, most forbidding tower, deep at the heart of the City.

As she grows in knowledge and power, she starts to uncover the depths of Spire secrets. Kirit begins to doubt her world and its unassailable Laws, setting in motion a chain of events that will lead to a haunting choice, and may well change the city forever—if it isn’t destroyed outright.

Welcome to a world of wind and bone, songs and silence, betrayal and courage. Fans of the strange, intricate worldbuilding of China Miéville and the strong character development of Robin Hobb will find much to enjoy in this wholly original, fantasy debut!

Praise for Updraft:

“A lovingly, carefully crafted world—an engineering marvel—filled with captivating characters whose struggles and triumphs will thrill the reader and linger long in the imagination. I want to live in the world Wilde has created!” ~Ken Liu, author of The Grace of Kings

“Extraordinary worldbuilding and cascading levels of intrigue make Wilde’s debut fantasy novel soar…. This well-written and fascinating exploration of a strange land is an extremely promising start for an exciting new writer.” ~Publisher’s Weekly, « Starred Review «

“The world of the towers grown from bone, where residents strap on wings and soar the air currents, is captivating. As a coming-of-age story, Kirit’s journey to find her place is satisfying, but the real draw is a world that readers will be anxious to revisit in future volumes of this exciting new series.” ~Library Journal, « Starred Review « and Debut of the Month

“A riveting new fantasy—Updraft made me miss my subway stop more than once.” ~New York Times bestselling author Steven Gould

“Rife with so many of my favorite tropes—wings, layers of secrets, a heroine who deals with the consequences of being talented—all at a roller-coaster pace.” ~Sherwood Smith

Spotlight: Kashiel's Dart by Jacqueline Carey

"When Love cast me out,

it was Cruelty who took pity on me."

Tor Books is proudly re-launching Jacqueline Carey's KUSHIEL’S DART—the provocative and erotic first novel in her award-winning KUSHIEL’S LEGACY series.

KUSHIEL’S DART

By New York Times Bestselling Author

JACQUELINE CAREY

Well before E.L. James penned Fifty Shades of Grey, Jacqueline Carey burst onto the literary scene with her debut novel, KUSHIEL’S DART, (Tor 2001), an erotic and mesmerizing saga set in a medieval—and alternatively imagined—European nation that was founded by a rebel angel. It’s the story of a young courtesan who finds herself caught up in the Machiavellian plots and magic of her time, and it is the perfect read for those who love literary erotic fiction combined with the strong character development and political intrigue of George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire series.

Now, with the Fifty Shades of Grey hitting movie theaters across the country in February 2015 and the April 2015 air-date of the highly anticipated new season of HBO’s Game of Thrones, Tor Books is thrilled to re-launch KUSHIEL’S DART (Tor Books; $17.99; January 13, 2014) in a trade paperback format with beautiful new cover art.

Praise for Kashiel's Dart:

Jacqueline Carey is a powerful writer with a lush, lyrical writing style and has a talent for creating strong, yet fallible, characters.  She’s been heralded for her extravagantly detailed storylines as well as her deft exploration of the nature of sexuality. KUSHIEL’S DART received the Locus Award for Best First Novel and the Romantic Times Reviewer’s Choice Award for Best Fantasy in 2001; Critics also raved about Carey’s debut, calling it “fascinatingly textured” and “a beautifully written story.”

“Stunning, clever, sultry, and mysterious, Phèdre is an ideal and original heroine.”
—Associated Press

“Ms. Carey weaves an exquisite tapestry of politics, intrigue, history, magic, desire, and fate into a breathtaking epic that will captivate readers.”
—RT Book Reviews (Top Pick!, Gold Medal, 4 ½ stars)

Review: Dreamfire by Kit Alloway

From the Back Cover:

Unlike most 17-year-olds, Joshlyn Weaver has a sacred duty.  She's the celebrated daughter of the dream walkers, a secret society whose members enter the Dream universe we all share and battle nightmares.  If they fail, the emotional turmoil in the Dream could boil over and release nightmares into the World.

Despite Josh's reputation as a dream walking prodigy, she's haunted by her mistakes. A lapse in judgment and the death of someone she loved have shaken her confidence.  Now she's been assigned an apprentice, a boy whose steady gaze sees right through her, and she's almost as afraid of getting close to him as she is of getting him killed.

But when strangers with impossible powers begin appearing in the Dream, it isn't just Will that Josh has to protect--it's the whole World.

My Thoughts:

Dreamfire starts off strong and keeps that intensity and momentum going throughout the book. It's a bit of a wild ride between dreams and reality and the secret world where they collide. The heroine of the story is Josh, a seventeen-year-old girl, a dream walker tasked with maintaining the delicate balance between the dream world and the real world, battling monsters and madness in dreams to prevent them from escaping into reality. She is celebrated among her kind as the most talented dream walker of her generation, but her success has not come without cost. Hiding behind a tough exterior and a workaholic mentality, she's still reeling from the death of her boyfriend, a fellow dream walker, a death she feels responsible for. When she is assigned a handsome young man from the real world as an apprentice to train, she is terrified of getting him killed too, and even more terrified of letting him into her heart. But a new menace is lurking in dreams and causing consequences in the real world, and Josh and her friends need all the help they can get to save the unsuspecting populace from the stuff nightmares are made of. And that's all the plot recap you'll get from me! This story has a lot of twists and turns, and I don't want to spoil the fun of trying to figure it out for anyone.

This book was strange for me in that the premise alternated between being almost too hokey for belief and totally mind-blowing, but overall I liked it and thought it one of the most imaginative premises among the YA titles I've read this year. It's a very complicated secret world that co-exists with contemporary reality. There's no magic, just the kind of crazy things that can happen in dreams, so the characters only have their brains and brawn to fight with. And there are some really great characters in this book, whose personalities and histories are slowly teased out against the backdrop of the twisted mystery involving what really happened the night Josh's boyfriend died. Some readers may find the story world a bit of a stretch for the suspension of disbelief, but the characters are so vivid and evocative that you can't help but root for them and keep reading to see how it all plays out.

Blog Tour Excerpt: Alias Hook by Lisa Jensen

With a slight nod to Wicked, veteran film critic Lisa Jensen trades Oz for the Neverland and re-imagines one of Great Britain’s most beloved classics of children’s literature in her sparkling new novel, ALIAS HOOK (Thomas Dunne Books; July 8, 2014). In Jensen’s retelling, Captain James Benjamin Hookbridge is no storybook villain, just a misunderstood Restoration-era privateer trapped forever in a nightmare of childhood fancy. By filling in the back story, Jensen leads us to question what really is so wonderful about that “infernal, eternal boy” and his band of Lost Boys. The result is an ingenious send up, with Jensen providing a thoughtful meditation on love, war, the masculine and the feminine, and the delicate art of growing up. 

Meet Captain Hook, a witty, educated pirate captain cursed to play villain to a pack of malicious little boys in a pointless war that never ends. Everything changes, however, with the arrival of Stella Parrish, a forbidden grown woman, who dreams her way to the Neverland in defiance of Pan’s rules. From the glamour of the Fairy Revels, to the secret ceremonies of the First Tribes, to the mysterious underwater temple beneath the Mermaid Lagoon, the magical forces of the Neverland open up for Stella as they never have for Hook. And in the pirate captain himself, she begins to see someone far more complex than the storybook villain. 

With Stella’s knowledge of folk and fairy tales, she might be Hook’s last chance for redemption and release, that is if they can break his curse before Pan and his warrior boys hunt Stella down and drag Hook back to partake in their never-ending game. 

PRELUDE

Him Or Me

Every child knows how the story ends. The wicked pirate captain is flung overboard, caught in the jaws of the monster crocodile, which drags him down to a watery grave. Who could guess that below the water, the great beast would spew me out with a belch and a wink of its horned, livid eye? It was not yet my time to die, not then nor any other time. It’s my fate to be trapped here forever in a nightmare of childhood fancy with that infernal, eternal boy.

No one knows what came next, the part you never read about in the stories. I clawed through water bloodied by the corpses of my crew driven overboard to make a meal for the sharks, flailed for the hull of my ship before the sharks caught up to me.

I saw it all by moonrise as I hooked my way up the chains to the deck. One of my men lay asprawl on the hatch coaming, dead eyes staring at the moon, curled fingers frozen over his ruptured belly. Another had dragged himself a few paces toward the rail before he expired, leaving a smear of fresh blood on the deck that could never be stained red enough to disguise it. Half a dozen others lay about in shadowy heaps, limbs twisted, faces ghastly, silent as waxworks. Everything stank of blood and decay. One man was draped face down over the foredeck rail, arrows sprouting from his back. The redskins were teaching the boys archery, as if they needed any more advantage over us in battle. None of the dead were boys.

Spotlight: The Merchant Emperor by Elizabeth Haydon

Acclaimed fantasy author Elizabeth Haydon returns with the long-awaited new book in the bestselling Symphony of Ages saga!

This summer, the long-awaited seventh book in Elizabeth Haydon’s critically acclaimed epic fantasy series, the Symphony of Ages, will be published: THE MERCHANT EMPEROR (A Tor Hardcover; On sale: June 3, 2014). Haydon’s fans have been clamoring for this new book in her masterful saga, and it will also serve as a starting point for anyone looking for an addictive series that will transport and mesmerize. 

Praise for The Merchant Emperor:

“Haydon’s long-awaited return to her Symphony of Ages series (picking up where 2006’s The Assassin King left off) is a brilliant tapestry of familial sacrifice and adversity in a land of music and dragons….With taut plotting and unforgettable characters, Haydon’s latest will easily enchant new readers.” —Publishers Weekly Starred Review and one of PW’s Best Summer Books 2014

“The Merchant Emperor reads like a true epic fantasy, complete with a large array of characters and many plot lines and alliances to keep track of. Fans of ambitious buildups and grand battles will cheer and weep (depending on the battle) alongside the inhabitants of the Symphony of Ages. Haydon does an excellent job of managing such a large cast of characters; even when the sheer number of stories and people to remember becomes overwhelming, there is always a sense of intimacy that many epic fantasies end up missing.” —RT Book Reviews

“For those familiar with the history of Rhapsody and Ashe, two of the main characters from previous books, this volume will provide additional depth to their personalities as they are forced to make difficult decisions to save not only themselves and those they love but also perhaps the world they live in…followers of the series will be delighted with it.” —Booklist 

Blog Tour Review: Warpworld by Kristene Perron and Joshua Simpson

From the Back Cover:

How far would you go…

On his first crossing through the warps, Seg discovers a world rich in vita – fuel to save his dying world. Cold, brilliant and desperate to prove himself as a Cultural Theorist, Seg breaks away from the recon squad sent to protect him, to scout out prime vita sources. But to find his prize he must face his biggest fear: water.

Fiery and headstrong, Ama receives an ultimatum from her people’s tyrannical overlords: betray her own kind or give up the boat she calls home, forever.  When a wealthy traveler hires her as a guide, Ama thinks her prayers are answered – until a violent murder reveals Seg’s true identity.

On the run, over land and water, hunted by a ruthless and relentless tracker, and caught in the schemes of a political powerhouse, Seg and Ama will have to strike an uneasy truce to survive.

The fate of two worlds is in their hands.

My Thoughts:

I don't read too much sci-fi, but every once in a while a book comes along that catches my attention, and I was really intrigued by Warpworld's description and sample chapter. I'm glad I took a chance on it. It's an action-packed adventure with some great plot twists and a slow-burning romance set amidst a richly detailed story world. And the authors have done a fantastic job at characterization. Seg is a brilliant theorist, the youngest ever to do what he's doing, and thus, arrogant and dauntless as he faces the dangers of a world--and a woman--he didn't reckon for. Ama is tough and smart and capable, and fears nothing except the gilded cage that comes with an arranged marriage. Watching these two work together, first toward their own personal agendas and then toward survival while saving each other's butts, was great fun.

The Eyes of E'veria Blog Tour Giveaway!

Please join me in welcoming author Serena Chase to Let Them Read Books! I interviewed Serena back in March when her debut novel, The Ryn, was released. I had the privilege of working professionally with Serena on The Ryn and its newly released sequel, The Remedy. Serena is touring the blogosphere and I wanted to help spread the word about it to all of my book buddies! She's brought along a terrific prize pack for one lucky reader: copies of both books, some swag, and chocolate! Enter the Rafflecopter giveaway below and check out my interview with Serena where we're talking fairy tales, fantasy worlds, and the creative process!

Interview + Giveaway: The Ryn by Serena Chase

Please join me in welcoming debut author Serena Chase to Let Them Read Books! I had the privilege of working professionally with Serena on The Ryn, a fantastic story of a young woman's dangerous journey to discover who she is and fulfill an ancient prophecy in order to save a kingdom on the verge of ruin. The Ryn was released on March 26th and all week long Serena has been celebrating the launch, and I wanted to help spread the word about it to all of my book buddies! Without further ado, here she is, talking faith, fantasy, and fairy tales!



What is "edgy inspirational romance"?

Thanks for inviting me over, Jenny! My definition may be different than some, but to me, EIR is romance fiction that is written from a faith-based world view, minus the preaching; it accepts and presents real, identifiable characters, whose rougher edges remain unsanded while their emotional, physical, and spiritual needs are portrayed in more true-to-life ways than what was the norm in Inspy fiction a few years ago. "Edgy Inspirational" also encompasses those sub-subgenres of inspirational (a.k.a Christian) fiction that have, in the past, been labeled by some as "unChristian" -- or unacceptable for Christian readers -- because they take place in another world or dimension and/or imbue characters with superhuman or unusual abilities.

What inspired you to write the Eyes of E'veria series?

My eldest daughter is a voracious reader, and when she was younger I would often pre-read books for content before sending them her way. She asked to read Gail Carson Levine's Ella Enchanted, which was on my bookshelf. Since it had been a while since I'd read it, I decided to read it again with a third grader in mind. When I finished, I handed the book over and thought, "I wonder if I could re-imagine a fairy tale?"

Blog Tour Review: Wide Open by Deborah Coates

From the Back Cover:

When Sergeant Hallie Michaels comes back to South Dakota from Afghanistan on ten days' compassionate leave, her sister Dell's ghost is waiting at the airport to greet her.

The sheriff says that Dell's death was suicide, but Hallie doesn't believe it. Something happened or Dell's ghost wouldn't still be hanging around. Friends and family, mourning Dell's loss, think Hallie's letting her grief interfere with her judgment. The one person who seems willing to listen is the deputy sheriff, Boyd Davies, who shows up everywhere and helps when he doesn't have to.

As Hallie pushes for answers, she attracts more ghosts--local women who disappeared without a trace--and discovers a disturbing pattern. Now she needs to not just figure out what happened to Dell but to make sure no one else shares her fate, even as it becomes clear that someone who wields an unimaginable and ancient power is working against her, and will stop at nothing to prevent her from finding the truth.

Blog Tour Review: The Book of Lost Fragrances by M.J. Rose

From the Back Cover:

A sweeping and suspenseful tale of secrets, intrigue, and lovers separated by time, all connected through the mystical qualities of a perfume created in the days of Cleopatra--and lost for 2,000 years.

Jac L'Etoile has always been haunted by the past, her memories infused with the exotic scents that she grew up surrounded by as the heir to a storied French perfume company. In order to flee the pain of those remembrances--and of her mother's suicide--she moved to America. Now, fourteen years later she and her brother have inherited the company along with it's financial problems. But when Robbie hints at an earth-shattering discovery in the family archives and then suddenly goes missing--leaving a dead body in his wake--Jac is plunged into a world she thought she'd left behind.

Back in Paris to investigate her brother's disappearance, Jac becomes haunted by the legend the House of L'Etoile has been espousing since 1799. Is there a scent that can unlock the mystery of reincarnation - or is it just another dream infused perfume?

The Book of Lost Fragrances fuses history, passion, and suspense, moving from Cleopatra's Egypt and the terrors of revolutionary France to Tibet's battle with China and the glamour of modern-day Paris. Jac's quest for the ancient perfume someone is willing to kill for becomes the key to understanding her own troubled past.

Review: Touch of Power by Maria V. Snyder

From the Back Cover:

Laying hands upon the injured and dying, Avry of Kazan assumes their wounds and diseases into herself. But rather than being honored for her skills, she is hunted. Healers like Avry are accused of spreading the plague that has decimated the Territories, leaving the survivors in a state of chaos.

Stressed and tired from hiding, Avry is abducted by a band of rogues who, shockingly, value her gift above the golden bounty offered for her capture. Their leader, an enigmatic captor-protector with powers of his own, is unequivocal in his demands: Avry must heal a plague-stricken prince—leader of a campaign against her people. As they traverse the daunting Nine Mountains, beset by mercenaries and magical dangers, Avry must decide who is worth healing and what is worth dying for. Because the price of peace may well be her life...

My Thoughts:

I really liked this book! This is the kind of story that grabs you from the first page and keeps you burning through till the end. This was my first time reading Snyder, who I see has a pretty loyal fan following, and I can see why. Touch of Power is the beginning of a new series, and Snyder's epic fantasy world of the Fifteen Realms is well developed, with just the right combination of realism and magic to make it believable and compelling. I like her style, too. She dives right into Avry's story, and you can't help but root for her. The plot is fast paced, deep, surprising, and unputdownable, and though I did think a couple of the elements were a little over the top, I didn't care because I absolutely loved the characters and the dynamics between them.

Avry is a selfless protagonist, but she's also very realistic. She is caring and sensitive, but she's a survivor, so she's tough and smart. She's been on the run for three years, forced into hiding to save her life. But even though each healing she performs brings her pain and suffering--and the threat of discovery--she is unable to keep from using her gift, especially when she sees so many people suffering whom she can heal with just a touch. So Avry has to keep moving. But she's been leaving a trail for someone who was looking hard enough, and Kerrick of Alga and his band of men have been tracking Avry for two years. Not because they want to punish her, but because they need her.

A healer is the only hope Kerrick has of saving his best friend and the man he believes can restore peace and prosperity to the Realms. But Kerrick is wary. He's the product of a generation raised to blame healers for bringing the plague upon them, the very plague that's killing his prince. He's pretty harsh with Avry in the beginning, but as they make the dangerous journey across the mountains and he witnesses what Avry has to go through when she heals someone, he comes to grudgingly admire her, and then to respect her and trust her enough to reveal his secret--that he has special powers of his own. And it turns out, when the two of them combine their powers, good things happen. But it takes both of them forever to admit their feelings for each other and by the end of the story the sexual tension between them is scorching the pages. And Kerrick becomes quite the swoonworthy, dashing hero when Avry ends up in enemy hands.

The supporting characters are varied and well-rounded, and even the villains are intriguing and multi-layered. There's a web of undercurrents and relationships among all the characters that adds great depth to the story. This story really hooked me; I loved it, and I could not put it down. And that ending--gripping, emotional, and oh-so-satisfying! There was a good deal of resolution with some open threads in place for the next installment to pick up on and I look forward to reading it and to making my way through Snyder's backlist.

My Rating:  4.5 Stars out of 5

*Please Note: This review references an advance digital copy received via NetGalley, and the finished copy may differ. Though I received this book for review, these are my unbiased opinions and I was not compensated in any other way for reviewing this book.

Teaser Tuesday + Review: A Clockwork Christmas

 From the Back Cover:

We Wish You a Steampunk Christmas

Changed forever after tragedy, a woman must draw strength from her husband's love. A man learns that love isn't always what you expect. A thief steals the heart of a vengeful professor. And an American inventor finds love Down Under. Enjoy Victorian Christmas with a clockwork twist in these four steampunk novellas.

My Teasers:

From Crime Wave in a Corset by Stacy Gail:

     Damn it all, in this enlightened age no human should know what it was to be beaten so brutally. Violence against women--even against Cornelia--was something he couldn't stand.
     So speaks the man who swore to all and sundry he would bring about her death in five days' time, he thought.


From This Winter Heart by PG Forte:

     Dario was already running toward the blaze, shrugging out of his coat as he went.
     But it was too late. He knew it was too late.


From Wanted: One Scoundrel by Jenny Schwartz:

     "He's always going on about a person defending their rights." She smiled. "'Course, he was talking mining rights, but voting rights for women are just as important. So many women can't fight for themselves, but I can and I will."


From Far From Broken by JK Coi:

     "Did you realize that the operations you agreed to would make me faster than you? Do you know that I can see the sweat beading on your forehead right now with this new eye? That this hand could snap your neck in an instant? You wouldn't even see me move. You wouldn't have time to whisper a plea for your life."

My Thoughts:

This  is an imaginative and enjoyable quartet of novellas, and with the exception of Wanted: One Scoundrel, they're very steamy, too. Crime Wave in a Corset finds master thief Cornelia plotting the most important heist she's ever made in order to save herself from professor Roderick's plans for vengeance. Tasking her to retrieve the item she stole from him months earlier or face death, he's determined to bring the heartless criminal to her knees, but soon discovers Cornelia's not all that she appears in this sexy story of opposites attracting. This Winter Heart is wildly inventive, taking place in the southwest after the Confederacy won the Civil War, thanks in part to Ophelia's father's invention of the automaton soldier. But it was not happily ever after for the celebrated scholar, and after his death Ophelia is destitute, leaving her no choice but to return to Dario, the man who broke her heart years ago when he discovered her biggest secret. And now she has another secret to share with him--their son. I thought this story was the most creative out of the bunch, but Dario's close-mindedness was so infuriating and so insulting to Ophelia, that I had a hard time rooting for the two of them to find their way back to each other.

Esme and Jed from Wanted: One Scoundrel were probably my favorite characters, but their story was the least developed. Their story did have the most clockwork, though, with a lot of neat little inventions making Victorian life easier. Taking place in an Australian town on the verge of explosive growth and prosperity, Esme is fighting for women's rights but finds she needs a man in her corner to sway the members of the gentlemen's clubs. Fresh off the boat from America, Jed is more than willing to play a part in a beautiful woman's plans. But he finds he has a rival for Esme's affections, someone willing to go to any lengths to have Esme's fortune for himself. And last but not least, Far From Broken is a story with so much substance, emotion, and backstory that it would've made a great full-length novel. Colonel Jasper Carlisle is deeply involved in the British intelligence game, but kept that information from beautiful ballerina Calliandra when he wooed her and proposed marriage. Two years later, while Jasper was off on a mission, his enemies targeted his wife, abducting her and brutally torturing her. Suffering horrific injuries, a talented doctor reconstructs Callie, but the resulting body leaves her feeling like a monster, and her psychological injuries may never heal. Submerged in guilt and rage, Jasper spends the months of Callie's recovery tracking down her assailants and exacting his revenge. Finally ready to face his wife, Jasper returns and discovers that she's not ready to face him. He is determined to win her back, but as the couple starts to make headway and Callie finds new strength, an enemy returns to finish the job he started.

Overall, I enjoyed each of these romantic stories, but none of them had enough Christmas in them to make them Christmas stories, in my opinion, and in Wanted: One Scoundrel and Far From Broken, Christmas is barely even mentioned. So that disappointed me, because I was really looking forward to some steampunk Christmas celebrations, and I didn't find those in this collection. But if you're looking for something different in romance, you should definitely check this collection out, It's unlike anything else I've read this year, and that's a good thing! And since it's digital, you've still got plenty of time to download it and read it this Christmas!

My Rating:  3.5 Stars out of 5

*Please Note: This review references an advance digital copy received via NetGalley, and the finished copy may differ. Thouhg I received this book for review, these are my unbiased opnions and I was not compensated in any other way for reviewing this book.

Blog Tour Review: The Realmsic Conquest by A. Demethius Jackson

From the Back Cover:

Throughout its history, the kingdom known as the Realm has never known peace. From its establishment, it has possessed the gift of magic, which is a treasure that exists no other place in the world. As a result, the Realm has endlessly defended itself against conquerors, but now faces its greatest peril.

As our heroes battle the wicked and unlock mysteries, they must also face overwhelming circumstances as they are guided by ancient lore on a quest to find the greatest treasure their kingdom will ever know . . . peace.

My Thoughts:

The Realmsic Conquest follows the brave hero Leoden, who has already saved the magical Realm once before, as he journeys with Kelm, the grand wizard, and General Normandy, the military strategist, on a quest to find the Candle of Crest, a magical relic believed to have healing power. The Realm's beloved King Maebus was severely wounded while defending the Realm from its latest foe, the Empress Saraya, and his comrades are determined to save him, and thus their kingdom. But finding the Candle of Crest leads to unforeseen repercussions, and the questors are forced to face their greatest fears and their greatest foe. The Realmsic Conquest is the classic hero's journey, but with a twist . . . it's written entirely in verse.

I think the concept is wonderfully creative, and I applaud the author's vision and courage, but unfortunately, it didn't quite work for me. I thought the verse was rather uneven--in some places poetic and lyrical, and in others simple and stunted. I would have preferred a narrative approach to a story of this scope, with room for description, world-building, and characterization. But I'm glad I tried it, because it is something completely different. It's a short read, and if you're a fan of epic fantasy looking for something different and creative, you may want to check this one out.

The Realmsic Conquest is on a blog tour!

Click Here to learn more about the book, read an excerpt and an interview with the author, and visit the other blogs participating in the tour.

Review: Daughter of Smoke & Bone by Laini Taylor

From the Back Cover:

Around the world, black handprints are appearing on doorways, scorched there by winged strangers who have crept through a slit in the sky.

In a dark and dusty shop, a devil's supply of human teeth grown dangerously low.

And in the tangled lanes of Prague, a young art student is about to be caught up in a brutal otherwordly war.

My Thoughts:

I was blown away by Laini Taylor's impeccable writing style. I'm talking pitch-perfect, let me reel you in slowly, immerse you in the beauty of an Old World city, drown you in the loneliness of a heartbroken girl, tantalize you with glimpses of a world that can't possibly exist, and deliver it all with gorgeous, honest, evocative language, all while ensnaring you in a story so imaginative and heart-felt that it grabs you and never lets go.

Meet Karou, a lonely art student with blue hair and a collection of carefully selected tattoos, including one on each wrist: True and Story. She has two more that she didn't ask for, an open eye in the center of each palm. She was born with them. She draws fantastically monstrous creatures in her beloved sketch books; they are chimaera: creatures made up of a mish-mash of body parts from different animals. She creates fantastical stories about them. Her friends think Karou's on her way to becoming the next great manga artist, but Karou hides a big secret. The creatures she draws are real. Not only are they real, they are her family. True Story, remember?

She's a child of two worlds, and she lives on the fringes of both, never sure of where she belongs, or even who she really is. She's always felt like she's been missing a part of herself, that something is not there that should be. Keeping the existence of an alternate magical world a secret is taking a toll on her. More and more frequently her foster father is sending her out on missions around the globe to buy teeth in underworld black markets. She brings back all kinds of teeth, which he then takes into his secretive workshop. She doesn't know what he uses the teeth for, she doesn't understand why he's growing more distant, and the rest of her family is not forthcoming with answers either. When scorched black handprints begin appearing on doors all over the world, rumors start flying of angel sightings and signs that the acpocalypse drawing near. But it's not until she comes face-to-face with one of these angels in a back alley in Marrakesh that Karou realizes the enormity of what is happening. Why does this angel look at her as though he knows her, and why does she feel an irresistable force pulling her to him, as though her soul has been looking for his all along?

I don't want to let any spoilers slip, because a lot of secrets are revealed and the plot gets twisty, so forgive me if I seem a little vague for I'm going to stop right here where the story really starts to heat up, where Karou gets drawn into an epic battle between "good" and "evil", and gets caught between her love for her family and her love for her soulmate, who happen to be on opposite sides of a looming war. I've already told you how much I love the way this book is written and I fell really hard for Karou. But I have to admit I was disappointed in a couple of directions the plot took as the story progressed. I was so wrapped up in the first half of this book, so excited to have found such a wildly original and gorgeously written story, that I felt a bit let down to discover this was yet another angel book, one of many appearing in today's young adult market. I just hadn't been expecting that. But don't get me wrong, this book is VERY different from the rest of the angel books out there. This is more fantasy than paranormal, and I like that.

My other disappointment stemmed from Karou discovering who she really was. I had grown so attached to her, I thought she was such a phenomenal character, and I felt like a little bit of that got taken away from her. From that point on I felt like I was reading about a whole other character and I just wanted my Karou back. And the ending came about so quickly and left off so abruptly, I was thrown for another loop. But there are two more books to come and I will definitely read them. Overall I thought this was one of the best written YA books I've seen in a while, and I have not seen my disappointments echoed in other reviews, so don't put too much weight on them. I've already seen this book on a ton of lists and the attention is well deserved. This is an offbeat, engrossing read and the kind that stays with you long after you've finished.

My Rating:  4 Stars out of 5

*Please note: This review references an advance review copy received through the Amazon Vine program. Though I received this book from the publisher, these are my honest and unbiased thoughts, and I was not compensated in any other way for reviewing this book.

Teaser Tuesday + Review: The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson

From the Back Cover:

Once a century, one person is chosen for greatness. Elisa is the chosen one. But she is also the younger of two princesses. The one who has never done anything remarkable, and can’t see how she ever will. Now, on her sixteenth birthday, she has become the secret wife of a handsome and worldly king—a king whose country is in turmoil. A king who needs her to be the chosen one, not a failure of a princess.

And he’s not the only one who seeks her. Savage enemies, seething with dark magic, are hunting her. A daring, determined revolutionary thinks she could be his people’s savior, and he looks at her in a way that no man has ever looked at her before. Soon it is not just her life, but her very heart that is at stake. Elisa could be everything to those who need her most. If the prophecy is fulfilled. If she finds the power deep within herself. If she doesn’t die young. Most of the chosen do.

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

Grab your current read
Open to a random page
Share two "teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! Share the title & author, too, so that others can add the book to their TBR Lists!

From page 109: The king does not rise to greet me, but he smiles and kisses my hand, and my face flames. I take my place on the dais along with the members of the quorum, slightly behind Alejandro's throne, looking over his dark head at the milling nobility. A favored position, I assume, until I see Condesa Arina reach out and rest a casual hand against the empty throne beside him.



My Thoughts:

This is a moving tale of one girl's courageous journey to overcome fear and low self-esteem, discover the strength and power hidden within her, and find the courage and charisma to save her people from war and oppression. Princess Elisa begins the novel as a frightened child bride, as a chosen one who hasn't realized her potential, and as a political pawn in a war-torn land. Elisa's faith in herself and in her God are tested as soon as she leaves her father's kingdom and discovers that she has been kept in the dark about the nature of the Godstone she bears, and that she has enemies both within her new husband's court and without. But it's not until Elisa is kidnapped by a group of revolutionaries that her journey really begins. As she travels through an unforgiving landscape and witnesses the condition of life outside the capital city's walls, she sets her feet upon an exciting and adventurous path to fulfill her destiny. What follows is a good, hardscrabble fight for survival of epic proportions, and it's refreshingly unpredictable.

Elisa is a great character, very empathetic, realistic, and inspiring, but she's surrounded by a wealth of supporting characters, none of whom we get to know in any real depth, so they end up being rather one-dimensional and are more like props in a setting designed to display Elisa to best advantage. Except perhaps for the enigmatic Hector, captain of the guard. I suspect he will have a bigger role to play in the rest of Elisa's story. I had a hard time grasping the theology behind Elisa's faith and the Godstone she bears. I couldn't tell if it was supposed to be some kind of Christian metaphor or something else altogether. It wasn't defined enough or made realistic enough for me to buy into it hook, line and sinker. But this is the first of three, so I imagine more will be revealed. I watched a video of Rae Carson outlining the direction the next two books will take, and it sounds like she's got a good grasp on the overall story. And I appreciate that this first installment ended with a satisfying and definitive conclusion. I think this is a great story with a strong and worthy female protagonist, and should appeal to any fan of young adult fantasy. Just be prepared to gloss over a couple of scenes that stretch the limits of believability. Otherwise it's original, gripping, and evocative reading.

My Rating:  4 Stars out of 5

*Please note: This review references an advance review copy received through the Amazon Vine program. Though I received this book from the publisher, these are my honest and unbiased thoughts, and I was not compensated in any other way for reviewing this book.

Review: The Gray Wolf Throne by Cinda Williams Chima

From the Back Cover:

Han Alister thought he had already lost everyone he loved. But when he finds his friend Rebecca Morley near death in the Spirit Mountains, Han knows that nothing matters more than saving her. The costs of his efforts are steep, but nothing can prepare him for what he soon discovers: the beautiful, mysterious girl he knew as Rebecca is none other than Raisa ana’Marianna, heir to the Queendom of the Fells. Han is hurt and betrayed. He knows he has no future with a blueblood. And, as far as he’s concerned, the princess’s family killed his own mother and sister. But if Han is to fulfill his end of an old bargain, he must do everything in his power to see Raisa crowned queen.

Meanwhile, some people will stop at nothing to prevent Raisa from ascending. With each attempt on her life, she wonders how long it will be before her enemies succeed. Her heart tells her that the thief-turned-wizard Han Alister can be trusted. She wants to believe it—he’s saved her life more than once. But with danger coming at her from every direction, Raisa can only rely on her wits and her iron-hard will to survive—and even that might not be enough.

My Thoughts:

It's hard to review The Gray Wolf Throne without spoiling anything, so I'm going to try to keep my comments general and tell you why I love the Seven Realms series and how it just keeps getting better. If you read young adult and you like fantasy, you should give this series a try because Cinda Williams Chima can really spin a fantastic tale! These books are full of adventure and excitement, plots and schemes, secrets and betrayals, and a slow-burning romance that leaps into full flame in this latest installment. The Seven Realms is a fantasy world, but its fundamentals are very realistic. It's a diverse world torn apart by culture clashes, border disputes, poverty, and famine, and the story revolves around two young adults who could be the hope of a generation, the descendents of the most powerful rulers in the realm's history, and the saviors foretold in an ancient prophecy. Raisa ana'Mariana, princess heir to the Gray Wolf throne, and Han Alister, a hardscrabble ganglord who recently discovered he has magical abilities.

Chima brings her story world into focus through the eyes of some great characters, and I love how these characters are changing as the series progresses. Raisa is maturing from a spoiled princess to a wise and selfless queen, preparing to take on the burdens of ruling a realm, and making the decisions and sacrifices that come with great power and responsibility. She's actually the perfect choice to bring peace to the people of her realm, if her opposition would open their eyes and set aside their personal ambitions long enough to see it. She's going to be a great ruler...if she lives long enough. Meanwhile Han's character is going in a different direction. He seems to be taking a bit of a dark turn. He's gotten a taste of power and influence. He's getting more ambitious, and his intentions are a little murky. And these two still haven't figured out how they gel together, or if their futures even include each other.

They've got a great supporting cast, too. The chivalrous Amon Byrne, Raisa's first love, who put his feelings aside to become her sworn protector and captain of her guard. Micah Bayar, dark and brooding son of the powerful High Wizard. He tried to force Raisa into marriage but claims he just wants to protect her from his father. Fire Dancer, Han's best friend, a clansman born with a wizard's magic, and faced with the prejudices of both races. Dancer's girlfriend Cat Tyburn, Han's former girlfriend and leader of his old street gang. And a slew of councillors, teachers, healers, courtiers, soldiers, clan warriors, rival kings, and scheming wizards to fill a complex and compelling fantasy world.

All of the events and storylines of the first two books have been on a collision course that explodes in The Gray Wolf Throne, as Raisa and Han are called upon to step into the roles that destiny has prepared for them. I was on the edge of my seat through the entire book, and put through the emotional wringer, too. The stage is set for the ultimate showdown for control of the realms, and I can't wait to see how everything plays out in the final book. If you're looking for something different in young adult, pick up The Demon King and give this series a try. It reads very maturely for young adult, and it's really good storytelling with great characters. Incidentally, the audio versions of these books, narrated by Carol Monda, are also very good.

My Rating:  5 Stars out of 5

*Please Note: This title will be published on August 30, 2011, and this review references an advance digital copy received from the publisher via NetGalley, and therefore the final published copy may differ. Though I received this book from the publisher, these are my honest and unbiased thoughts, and I was not compensated in any other way for reviewing this book.

Review: Witchlanders by Lena Coakley

From the Back Cover:

High in their mountain covens, red witches pray to the Goddess, protecting the Witchlands by throwing the bones and foretelling the future.

It’s all a fake.

At least, that’s what Ryder thinks. He doubts the witches really deserve their tithes—one quarter of all the crops his village can produce. And even if they can predict the future, what danger is there to foretell, now that his people’s old enemy, the Baen, has been defeated?

But when a terrifying new magic threatens both his village and the coven, Ryder must confront the beautiful and silent witch who holds all the secrets. Everything he’s ever believed about witches, the Baen, magic and about himself will change, when he discovers that the prophecies he’s always scorned—

Are about him.

My Thoughts:

I loved the first two-thirds of this book. Coakley sets up a unique and compelling fantasy storyworld: two enemy races who have been living separately since a brutal war tore their world apart two decades earlier are facing tensions once more. Two young men, one a poor Witchlander farmer struggling to keep his family together, the other a wealthy Baen princeling sent on a mysterious mission by his overbearing father, must confront their pasts and face their futures, both part of a larger destiny, but unsure of the roles they are supposed to play. They are sworn enemies, yet inexplicably drawn to each other, as if a hidden part inside each of them recognizes the other, and realizes that they could do so much more working together.

The story is beautifully written, and a subtle magic flows throughout, from the soaring mountain peaks of the borderlands to the intimate warmth of a farming family's hut. Those among both races who have the gift of magic draw strength from the bounty of the earth, from the bones of the dead to the song of nature, and it's really quite lovely. There's a great sense of mystery and suspense, too, as both boys struggle to come to terms with a changing world and both begin to realize they've been kept in the dark about the real roots of the war between the nations, and that they may be the key to unlocking long-held secrets that could free both races from years of hatred, fear and mistrust. But those secrets have guardians who are determined to keep them hidden at all costs.

Unfortunately, the story lost its luster for me as it neared the end. The tone changed and it became chaotic, and a little immature, and just as everything should have been coming together, more and more was added into the mix, detracting from the plausibility and eloquence of the story. It almost felt as if a different author took over the story to write the last 150 pages. It started out as a great read, but devolved into a bit of a mess, and left me feeling let down in the end. There are lots of glowing reviews on Goodreads, so I appear to be in the minority on this one. It's definitely not a bad book. Read it if you're looking for something different in young adult fantasy, because it is definitely different. I had just hoped to see the grace and maturity of the first part of the book continue through to the end, and I didn't feel like it did.

My Rating:  3 Stars out of 5

*Please note: This title will be released August 30, 2011, and this review references an advance digital copy received from the publisher, and therefore the final published copy may differ. Though I received this book from the publisher, these are my honest and unbiased thoughts, and I was not compensated in any other way for reviewing this book.